New NWF Program Encourages Families to Make Tracks
National Wildlife Federation – August 25, 2008
The National Wildlife Federation hopes families will trade some screen time for green time this Columbus Day weekend -- by walking, biking, hiking or strolling on the trails and paths right outside their front door. Be an explorer -- like Columbus!
NWF has created a program that encourages families to discover and reconnect with nature with the first annual Make Tracks! Family Trail Weekend, October 11-13, Columbus Day Weekend.
NWF has taken the leg-work out of preparing for this fun family outing. A new web site, maketracks.org, provides a list of supplies, tips for family-friendly activities, and a link to NatureFind, a terrific database to locate the best nearby trails, walking paths and parks, just by entering your zip code. With today’s high gas prices discovering nature nearby has even more benefits.
Haven’t hiked much, or ever? No problem, you don’t need to be an expert or in top physical condition to enjoy the outdoors. Have small children? Grab the stroller. Your outing can be as long or as short as you want. Be part of a growing movement in the U.S. to rediscover the outdoors – and realize the benefits of stepping away from the computer or TV or video game and breathing some fresh air while experiencing the wonders of nature.
Make Tracks! is part of National Wildlife Federation’s Green Hour campaign which urges parents to give their kids a daily dose of nature – unstructured time for children to leave homework, piano lessons and soccer practice behind to play outside and discover the freedom it provides. This time can improve both physical and mental health for adults and kids alike. The alarming spike in childhood obesity has revealed the true cost of a “plugged-in” lifestyle.
“Unplugging play and family time is critical to the health and wellbeing of today's children,” says Bethe Almeras, Senior Manager of Family Programs for the National Wildlife Federation. “Kids today spend half as much time outdoors as children did just 20 years ago.”
Put your best foot forward this Columbus Day and visit maketracks.org. Register your family and join the thousands of parents who have become members of the Green Hour movement. More information and a weekly guide to outdoor fun can be found on greenhour.org.
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C&NN has designated April "Children & Nature Awareness Month." As part of this effort, we invited network members (like you) to list their April programs and share their strategies for building public awareness. Find out what's happening in your community on the C&NN Movement Map.
As part of our ongoing efforts to build the movement, the Children & Nature Network has published two new resources for leaders, organizers, and participants at the local, national, and international levels:
An annotated bibliography of 20 premier studies focusing on the children and nature connection.
